Docking in Space Missions

Docking is a vital technology for assembling spacefaring components into larger modules in space, enabling the launch of spacecraft heavier than the capacity of the heaviest rockets. It serves as a gateway for advanced interplanetary missions, exemplified by missions like the Chandrayaan-4 lunar sample return mission.

Significance and Applications of Docking

• Interplanetary Missions: Docking facilitates the assembly of modules for missions that exceed individual rocket capabilities.
• Long-Duration Spaceflight: Docking technology is crucial for long-term missions, such as those to Mars or space mining operations.
• Cost Considerations: The need to reduce costs for extended missions increases the appeal of docking for satellite servicing and orbital resupply.

ISRO's Initiatives

• SpaDeX Satellites: ISRO equipped these satellites with ample fuel to conduct multiple docking attempts and collected continuous data.
• Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS): ISRO plans to launch this space station later in the decade.

Challenges and Expectations

• Coherent Vision: It is crucial for ISRO to articulate the expected utility of BAS to align with the broader Indian space programme and international standards.
• Leadership: With V. Narayanan as the new chairman, ISRO is entering a new operational phase and needs to address these challenges effectively.

Chief Justice of India on Corruption

Key Highlights from the Lokpal Day 2025 Program

• Corruption's Reach:
  • Corruption extends beyond large scams, affecting socially and economically disadvantaged groups.
  • Example: Examination paper leaks undermine student aspirations and public education.
  • Each corrupt act diminishes public trust.
• Government Contracts and State Largesse:
  • Contracts often awarded to well-connected individuals, termed as illegal distribution of State largesse.
  • Examples: BPL cards and public housing misallocated to elites instead of those in genuine need.
  • Such malpractices undermine constitutional equality principles.
• Role and Challenges of Lokpal:
  • Mere establishment of Lokpal isn't enough; requires synergy with Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) and other agencies.
  • Importance of seamless coordination for evidence gathering and investigations.
• Insights from Other Speakers:
  • Justice (retd) A.M. Khanwilkar emphasized that the Lokpal Act is vital for investigating high-level corruption.
  • Noted challenges: Evolving corruption models and stronger nexus among politicians, business, and bureaucracy.
  • Need for vigilant, timely follow-ups and cleaning mechanisms.

Notable Personalities and the Historical Context

• Social activist Anna Hazare, Justice (retd) N. Santosh Hegde, and Attorney General R. Venkataramani were felicitated.
• The Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013, came into effect on January 16, 2014.

RBI Liberalizes Norms for Cross-Border Transactions

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) announced new liberalized norms on January 16, 2025, aimed at promoting the use of the Indian Rupee and other local currencies for settling cross-border transactions. This move comes amidst the depreciation of the domestic currency, which recently hit a record low of 86.70 per USD.

Key Initiatives

• Memorandum of Understanding (MoU): The RBI has signed MoUs with the central banks of the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, and Maldives to facilitate cross-border transactions using local currencies, including the Indian Rupee.
• Special Rupee Vostro Account (SRVA): Introduced in July 2022, this arrangement has led to the opening of several SRVAs by foreign banks with Indian banks, enhancing the use of INR for trade transactions.
• Liberalized FEMA Regulations:
  • Overseas branches of Authorized Dealer banks can open INR accounts for non-residents for settling permissible transactions with Indian residents.
  • Non-residents can settle transactions with other non-residents using balances in repatriable INR accounts like SRVA and Special Non-resident Rupee accounts.
  • Balances in these accounts can also be used for foreign investment, including Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), in non-debt instruments.
• Facilitation for Indian Exporters: They can open accounts in any foreign currency overseas to settle trade transactions, receive export proceeds, and pay for imports using these proceeds.

Background

This initiative follows a review of the extant FEMA regulations of 1999 by the RBI, conducted in consultation with the central government, to promote cross-border transactions in INR and local/national currencies.

Blue Origin's New Glenn Rocket Launch

Blue Origin launched its new massive rocket, New Glenn, on its first test flight on January 16, 2025. The rocket successfully sent a prototype satellite into orbit, marking a milestone in private space exploration.

Key Highlights

• Launch Details:
  • New Glenn was launched from the historic launch pad in Florida, previously used for NASA's Mariner and Pioneer missions.
  • The rocket stands 320 feet (98 meters) tall and is equipped with seven main engines.
• Achievements:
  • Successfully reached orbit 13 minutes after launch.
  • Carried an experimental platform for hosting or deploying satellites.
• Operational Goals:
  • The test satellite was expected to remain in orbit for six hours.
  • First-stage booster retrieval attempt failed, but the primary goal was achieving orbit.

Blue Origin's Vision and Infrastructure

• Future Plans:
  • Plans for six to eight New Glenn flights this year, with the next scheduled in spring.
  • Aims to lower the cost of space access through industry collaboration.
• Infrastructure and Investment:
  • Over $1 billion invested in launching site Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
  • Launch site is strategically located near NASA's Kennedy Space Center.

Comparative Context and Competition

• Competitive Landscape:
  • New Glenn is among other new rockets like United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan, Europe’s Ariane 6, and NASA's Space Launch System (SLS).
  • SpaceX's Starship, the largest at 400 feet, is expected to make additional test flights.
• Cooperation and Competition:
  • Jeff Bezos emphasizes collaboration over competition with SpaceX.
  • NASA has planned to use different companies for lunar missions under the Artemis program.

Challenges and Adjustments

• Delays and Adjustments:
  • Launch was delayed due to ice buildup in critical plumbing.
  • NASA's Mars mission involving New Glenn was postponed.
• Future Missions:
  • Planned Mars mission with twin spacecraft named Escapade, focused on studying the Martian atmosphere.

Overall, Blue Origin's New Glenn launch signifies a significant leap in private space travel, setting the stage for future missions and collaboration in the space industry.

Multidrug Resistant Tuberculosis (MDR-TB) in India

MDR-TB is a form of tuberculosis where the bacteria are resistant to rifampicin and isoniazid, two essential drugs in TB treatment. This form of TB carries a high risk of death, estimated at 30-40%. India has a significant burden of TB, contributing 27% of the 1,75,923 MDR-TB cases reported globally in 2023.

Challenges in Treatment

• The evolution of MDR-TB strains is often due to poor adherence to TB treatment and misuse of drugs, common in India.
• Traditional treatments for drug-resistant TB are lengthy (18 months or more) and involve toxic drugs, posing adherence challenges.
• Patients have long advocated for shorter and less toxic treatment regimens, which were often ignored by the health system.
• Side effects from treatments, such as hearing loss and depression, were often downplayed, exacerbating the stigma and discomfort for patients.

New Treatment Regimens

There is a need for shorter regimens to improve treatment completion rates and reduce economic burdens. The BPaL regimen, consisting of bedaquiline, pretonamid, and linezolid, is one such example, prescribed for 6 months.

• The Nix-TB trial in South Africa demonstrated the regimen's efficacy, and the ZeNix trial showed better tolerance with reduced linezolid doses.
• Although promising, adherence and drug-susceptibility testing are crucial for these new regimens.
• Adverse effects, such as sensory neuropathy from linezolid, need monitoring, and alternative regimens should be available.

Health System and Implementation

• Adequate training for physicians on managing these regimens is essential.
• Universal molecular diagnostics are needed to detect drug-resistant TB early.
• Effective public-private partnerships can improve access while preventing misuse of treatments.

Additional Considerations

• Shorter regimens might be costlier, but persisting with toxic alternatives is more detrimental.
• Community education and supportive services such as counseling are key to successful implementation.
• Addressing social, economic, and gender determinants is crucial for a holistic TB control approach.

Conclusion

While shorter regimens for MDR-TB are transformative, they are not sufficient alone. A broader systemic transformation addressing structural determinants is necessary for effective TB control.

Cervical Cancer and HPV Vaccination

January marks Cervical Cancer Awareness Month, emphasizing the importance of screening for cervical cancer, a leading cause of cancer among Indian women. The disease primarily stems from the Human Papillomavirus (HPV), responsible for 99.7% of cervical cancers globally.

HPV Vaccine: Prevention and Availability

• The HPV vaccine is the most effective preventive measure, stimulating immune responses to neutralize the virus.
• In India, the vaccine requires a prescription, despite recommendations for inclusion in the national immunization program by the National Technical Advisory Group for Immunisation (NTAGI).
• Some states like Punjab and Sikkim have incorporated the vaccine into their programs.

Vaccine Recommendations and Efficacy

• Recommended for girls aged 9–14 and children aged 12 to 13 years.
• Effective in preventing over 90% of cancers associated with HPV.
• Safe for immunocompromised individuals or those with HIV, with common side effects being mild fever and injection-site reactions.
• Approved vaccines in India include Gardasil, Cervarix, and Cervavac.

Prevalence and Incidence of Cervical Cancer

• 3rd most common cancer in India, with an incidence rate of 18.3% and mortality rate of 9.1% according to GLOBOCAN 2020.
• Highest incidence rate in Asia in Papumpare district, Arunachal Pradesh.
• Majority of cases diagnosed at advanced stages.

Challenges and Cost

• High costs and cultural perceptions impact vaccine uptake.
• Gardasil 9 costs ₹10,850 per dose; Cervavac, an Indian vaccine, costs ₹2,000 per dose.

Global Efforts and Recommendations

The World Health Organization and other global entities have committed significant funding ($600 million) to eliminate cervical cancer. Vaccination, coupled with screening and treatment, forms the path to eradication, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.